Named after the original thick-skinned henchman duo, Mr. Muthafuckin eXquire and Meyhem Lauren link up for “Bebop & Rocksteady” off of X’s Brainiac EP, out now. This video is nothing short of hilarious and Meyhem’s Uberpool line at the end is a classic.

I don’t have words for the stinker N.O.R.E. just dropped with Pharrell, but his Drink Champs podcast is great and old “Jose Luis Gotcha / golden guns, Frank Sinatra” NoreAGA was easily one of my favorite rappers ever. His solo debut N.O.R.E. was an album that got enough spin in my Discman (!) to warrant a complete repurchase several years after its release, with classic records like “Banned From TV” requiring at least one repeat per play. I rediscovered “The Change” last week and decided to share it here.

Zhané was ahead of their time not only when it comes to their iconic natural hairstyles, but with jams like “Sending My Love”, which has aged surprisingly well. I’ll never turn my back on any efficient flip of EPMD’s “You’re A Customer” (Naughty By Nature actually produced this record, among others on their debut album, like their trademark hit “Hey, Mr. DJ”).

In 2011, Smoke DZA linked up with Kendrick Lamar for this banger off of DZA’s Rolling Stoned album. DZA doesn’t really tend to make a wack project and Kendrick rarely fails us with a feature, so I don’t have to tell you to hit the jump.

With No Mountains In Manhattan, RATKING’s Wiki is sure to bring in a lot of new fans who didn’t know about him before. While the pictures Wiki paints might lean more towards the abstract, he manages to bring a street-level grittiness to his music that takes you on a colorful but dangerous tour of NYC. “Chinatown Swing”, produced by RATKING member Sporting Life is easily a standout joint.

Back in June, Meyhem Lauren dropped a vicious freestyle over a sinister beat crafted by Daringer for Top Shelf Premium‘s “Off Top” series. Check out Meyhem’s last album Piatto D’oro if you’re unfamiliar.

“I like making full plates,” Action Bronson said of his music in a recent No Jumper interview and as a longtime fan of the anomalous MC, I can say that Bronson’s been making full plates for listeners since Bon Appetit…Bitch, back in 2011. While it’s clear that Bronson is in a whole other stratosphere than he was back when I first saw the “Imported Goods” video (you’ll notice, for one, that his sound is no longer primarily in the boom-bap realm), the man continues to provide his own unique stew of artistry, replete with trademark absurdism and obscure references touching on everything from ’80s action flicks to fine cuisine to bodybuilders.

With this long, hot summer coming to a close, it’s only right to acknowledge this good weather we’re having in the golden state by bringing you a playlist I’ve been meaning to bring to the site for a long time. Susie Torres’ #WestCoastWednesdays hashtag has flourished for years as a weekly celebration of west coast gangsta rap, bringing the sounds of DJ Quik, Above The Law, Ice Cube, Kid Frost, and many others to the forefront as a slice of rap history that’s impossible to forget. Rap Dad is proud to announce the official West Coast Wednesdays playlist. It’s currently a work in progress, but it’s collaborative, so feel free to add some classics of your own.